Day 5 – Almost there

November 19, 2010

Sunrise in the Coral Sea

The wind has backed to the Northeast, which means we’re running dead downwind. It’s also lightened up considerably to 10-15 knots. We motorsailed, which is easier on the autopilot, a more comfortable motion, and ensures we can get in during business hours on Friday.

I’m devouring a stack of cast-off magazines from a fellow cruiser- mostly fashion oriented, and about half of them Australian. I’m hoping for cues to some of the culture in our destination as well as easing my brain into the fact I’ll have to actually pay attention to what I wear soon. But the shiny pages of scrawny models bound up in “look at me” clothes feels false and foreign. So does the message on almost every page, pitching something “essential” to buy. It’s entertaining, mostly, but makes me wonder how the adjustment to first world life will sit. In case we missed the point, one magazine is actually named “Shop Till you Drop”. Maybe the Aussie fasion mag should gets point for telling it like it us, but something inside me resists.

Siobhan flips pages with me. Her game is to point at something she wants on every page. This could be people for her imaginary game (“I’ll be her, and her, and you can be that girl”) to things she wants to eat or use (a pizza on one page, an electronic gadget on another). Maybe she’ll be our material girl… she’s already our fashionista.

MIKE/IO: If all is well on Totem give us a quick tune now please.

BEHAN/TOTEM: (hits tune button)

MIKE/IO: got it, good! all’s well on IO. Here’s a position- if you are within 20 miles of this mark, give me a tune now.

MIKE/IO: OK, you’re within 20 miles of that position. If you are east of this position, along your rhumb line towards New Cal- give a tune now please.

MIKE/IO: OK, good! If you are within 10 miles of this position…

…etc.

It takes some time, but Mike usually pegs us within just a couple of miles.